Rhamma mishma (Hewitson, 1878)

Prieto, Carlos & Vargas, Maria A., 2016, Elfin butterflies of the genus Rhamma Johnson (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae): A review of the Colombian species, Zootaxa 4093 (3), pp. 323-342 : 330

Rhamma mishma (Hewitson, 1878)

( Figures 19 , 58 , 71 )

Thecla mishma Hewitson, 1878: 213 , 447, pl. 85f. 724, 725; Draudt 1919: 759, pl. 153f. image of syntype examined. Rhamma mishma (Hewitson, 1878) : Johnson 1992.

Type material. The lectotype of Thecla mishma Hewitson, 1878 , designated herein, has the following labels: / Columbia, S. Nevada/ mishma / SYN-TYPE?/ Deposited in MNHU, Berlín, Germany. The followings labels will be added: / LECTOTYPUS / Thecla mishma Hewitson, 1878 : Prieto & Vargas 2016. We designate a male syntype from the Sierra Nevada, Colombia (deposited in MNHU) as the lectotype of Thecla mishma Hewitson, 1878 , to establish with certainty the identity of the species.

Taxonomic history and remarks. This species was described from an undetermined number of specimens in the Staudinger collection. Johnson (1990, 1992) was unable to examine the syntype male in MNHU, and the specimen illustrated in his review (Johnson 1992: 111, fig. 139) as R. mishma most probably corresponds to a geographic form of Rhamma arria . We illustrate a male specimen collected in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta that we identified as Rhamma mishma . This species is probably an endemic from the Sierra Nevada flying at lower elevation than Rhamma shapiroi . The female is unknown.

Distribution and variability. Rhamma mishma is a rare endemic from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. We were unable to find more than one specimen to assess variability.

Diagnosis. The recognition of R. mishma as a distinct species was detailed in the account for R. shapiroi .

Material examined (1♂). MAGDALENA: 1 ♂, CP: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, San Pedro, 2600 m, 11/ 01/2013, C. Prieto.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 19. Adults depicted in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) aspect: 11. Rhamma oxida male (Cauca); 12. Rhamma oxida female (Cauca); 13. Rhamma comstocki male (Cundinamarca); 14. Rhamma comstocki female (Cundinamarca); 15. Rhamma comstocki male (Cesar); 16. Rhamma comstocki female (Cundinamarca); 17. Rhamma shapiroi male (SNSM, Magdalena); 18. Rhamma shapiroi female (SNSM, Magdalena); 19. Rhamma mishma male (SNSM, Magdalena).

FIGURES 51 – 62. Androconial brands (arrows point the scent pad): 51. Rhamma hybla; 52. Rhamma adunca; 53. Rhamma arria; 54. Rhamma livida; 55. Rhamma oxida; 56. Rhamma comstocki; 57. Rhamma shapiroi; 58. Rhamma mishma; 59. Rhamma bilix; 60. Rhamma anosma; 61. Rhamma familiaris; 62. Rhamma commodus.

FIGURES 71 – 73. Distributional maps of Colombian Rhamma. 71. Rhamma mishma; 72. Rhamma oxida; 73. Rhamma shapiroi.